Maternal death rates across the country rose from 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births to 32.9, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed.

The data is not broken down by state. Alabama’s most recent state-specific maternal mortality rate was 36.4 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018 — the third highest in the country. At the time, the national rate was 17.4 — nearly half of what the most recent rates are.

Maternal death rates have continued to climb since 2018, the report showed.

Maternal death rates were:

• 17.4 deaths/100,000 live births in 2018 (658 women)
• 20.1 deaths/100,000 live births in 2019 (754 women)
• 23.8 deaths/100,000 live births in 2020 (861 women)
• 32.9 deaths/100,000 live births in 2021 (1,205 women)

Death rates also varied by race: Black women are more likely to die than those of any other race at 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 28.0 for Hispanic women and 26.6 for white women.

In this report, the CDC used the World Health Organization’s definition of maternal death: A patient who dies while pregnant or within 42 days of the termination of a pregnancy, regardless of duration, from any cause related to the pregnancy or its management. The definition does not include accidental or incidental causes.

Alabama’s two maternal mortality reports have both included deaths up to a year after giving birth.

In Alabama’s most recent report, which detailed deaths from 2016-2017, cardiovascular-related events, substance use and infections were the leading causes of death. More than two-thirds of the patients who died in this time frame were enrolled in Medicaid and only 52.5% had prenatal care beginning in their first trimester.

In both reports, many of the deaths were considered at least somewhat preventable.

National death rates also increased with age.

For women over age 40, the maternal death rate was 138.5 per 100,000. Hispanic women had the lowest death rate for those over 40 at 86.4, compared to white women at 126.9 and Black women at 300.8.

The report shows clear differences in health outcomes for women of color, particularly Black women, when compared to non-Hispanic white women.

March of Dimes Senior Vice President and Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. Elizabeth Cherot said in a statement that more work needs to be done to better understand maternal mortality in the United States.

“We have long known the threat of maternal mortality and morbidity is especially acute for women of color. The rate of maternal deaths among Black women nearly doubled and rates for Hispanic women more than doubled from 2019 to 2021,” Cherot’s statement read. “The fact remains that the U.S. healthcare system has historically failed people of color, including during the crucial times of pregnancy and postpartum. It’s imperative that we have reliable and consistent tracking measures in place across our country to help us evaluate and address maternal deaths.”

Read more about maternal care from Sarah Swetlik:

UAB announces new Alabama maternal health task force to tackle mortality, doulas, telehealth.

Maternal Mental Health hotline now available for postpartum advice, resources.

Birmingham doula group to help more mothers tackle pregnancy, parenting.

A solution for morning sickness? Birmingham clinic aims to spare pregnant patients a trip to ER.